The amazing art of MJ Lai (Mrs. Tokutake)

[shimbrypaku]

Facebook, I can’t bring myself to creating an account.

thanks

 

[Sansokuu]

Facebook, I can’t bring myself to creating an account.

thanks

I can’t blame you! I will probably still do a shop drop on our website so folks can skip FB, or direct sales. Just trying to get a feel for prices right now. Will definitely have a selection at the Pacific Bonsai Expo I know you all are planning to attend….

 

[Carol 83]

Facebook, I can’t bring myself to creating an account.

thanks

Me neither, I just use my husband's account to check out the auctions.

 

[River's Edge]

I can’t blame you! I will probably still do a shop drop on our website so folks can skip FB, or direct sales. Just trying to get a feel for prices right now. Will definitely have a selection at the Pacific Bonsai Expo I know you all are planning to attend….

I will be there for sure. I am looking for a part time job now so I can buy pot's. My daughter has a new kitten that seems to be similar to others in this thread.

 

[Sansokuu]

I will be there for sure. I am looking for a part time job now so I can buy pot's. My daughter has a new kitten that seems to be similar to others in this thread.

Cat thread continues! What do you all prefer in terms of buying? Store listings? Private sales?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Store listings? Private sales?

These.

 

[River's Edge]

Cat thread continues! What do you all prefer in terms of buying? Store listings? Private sales?

I am old school, I prefer face to face, see the product, feel the product and buy direct from the artist. Next best is when they can display their products at shows or conventions. I do not purchase important items over the internet.

 

[Sansokuu]

I am old school, I prefer face to face, see the product, feel the product and buy direct from the artist. Next best is when they can display their products at shows or conventions. I do not purchase important items over the internet.

Oh I agree, especially with buying pottery. They look so different in person. We will be vending at the Pacific Bonsai Expo in the fall, so hope to meet some of you there!

And on that note I have started a sale thread: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/mame-shohin-pots-for-sale-thread.54373/

 

[Sansokuu]

These are up on Bonsai Auctions (the turquoise background) if anyone is interested! Some folks had trouble accessing the group, I can probably arrange for proxy bidding through a friend if needed, just drop me a line.

 

[Sansokuu]

Annnnnd because I promised, these will be up on our shop page this Friday, March 25th, 7 pm PST. I’ll probably bring out a few more to sell so it’s not such meager offerings Maybe sneak in a Nao pot in the sale…. Will update with a direct link.

 

[Godschick]

Wow, exquisite pieces! Is this porcelain? So wonderful how you both share in this together and support each other. I’ll definitely be following.

 

[Sansokuu]

Wow, exquisite pieces! Is this porcelain? So wonderful how you both share in this together and support each other. I’ll definitely be following.

Yes, porcelain. Nao makes them for me and I paint them since I don’t have time to make pottery currently. It is a lot more involved getting set up to work in clay than it is to sit down and paint. I persuaded him to take some ceramic classes with me (I was enrolling in every available college course to the public ) almost a decade ago and he hasn’t looked back since. I help him with his social media, correspondences, pot shipping and website maintenance. You can see some of my other pottery work at my other instagram handle @birdzillastudios

 

[Godschick]

Yes, porcelain. Nao makes them for me and I paint them since I don’t have time to make pottery currently. It is a lot more involved getting set up to work in clay than it is to sit down and paint. I persuaded him to take some ceramic classes with me (I was enrolling in every available college course to the public ) almost a decade ago and he hasn’t looked back since. I help him with his social media, correspondences, pot shipping and website maintenance. You can see some of my other pottery work at my other instagram handle @birdzillastudios

I thought it looked like porcelain. I have never worked with porcelain but hope to throw some in the future. I am not fond of all the grog so perhaps I would like that better since it is more pure. I will definitely follow you on your other Instagram as well. I checked out the website and there’s some beautiful pieces there too! You guys have a wonderful story and I love how you work together. Thank you for sharing!

 

[Sansokuu]

Small shop drop is up, enjoy. https://www.tokutakebonsai.com/shop

 

[Pyewacket]

I had someone insist to me that porcelain is right out for bonsai pots, which I don't get because I can get porcelain with a lower absorption rate than any stoneware nearby (where "nearby" is 6 to 7 hours drive, I live in a clay desert).

Are there drawbacks to porcelain for bonsai that matter? Maybe best for small pots since it tends to be sort of delicate?

 

[Sansokuu]

I had someone insist to me that porcelain is right out for bonsai pots, which I don't get because I can get porcelain with a lower absorption rate than any stoneware nearby (where "nearby" is 6 to 7 hours drive, I live in a clay desert).

Are there drawbacks to porcelain for bonsai that matter? Maybe best for small pots since it tends to be sort of delicate?

What was their reasoning? There are lots of porcelain pots made for bonsai, porcelain as a material is stronger than typical stonewares. There is a reason why it is used to make kitchen sinks, toilets, and industrial use parts. And as you mentioned, lower absorption rate. It is closest in composition to glass (which is what vitrified implies, that it has achieved a glass like state that is largely impervious to water).

As for delicate it depends on the thinness of the porcelain. The porcelain rice bowls in our cabinet that you can see through when held up to the light: sure, delicate. The 1/3 inch porcelain mugs I make that I have dropped on the floor without cracking and sent through airport check in : I wouldn’t describe as delicate .

I got a Xing Rong Yi shohin pot recently. It is as sturdy if not more as any stone ware pot. Lot of factors contribute to whether a pot is considered fragile or not. Wall evennes, rim thickness, not just the clay body itself. Also the pot shape and the wetness of the soil medium if they are in a freeze. The pot doesn’t get the whole blame if something happens to it. If you find a porcelain pot you love, I say enjoy it!

 

[rockm]

I had someone insist to me that porcelain is right out for bonsai pots, which I don't get because I can get porcelain with a lower absorption rate than any stoneware nearby (where "nearby" is 6 to 7 hours drive, I live in a clay desert).

Are there drawbacks to porcelain for bonsai that matter? Maybe best for small pots since it tends to be sort of delicate?

In use, it tends to be very "slippery" compared to "regular" stoneware pots. Most good bonsai pots have "tooth" or grog in the clay that allows roots to get a grip on the pot, which can help with root development. With the glass-like surface, porcelain tends to allow trees to shift a bit. Not a huge deal, but one of the reasons I don't really use porcelain pots.

Also ultimately, porcelain pots aren't really meant to actually use and mostly meant as collectibles. They, tend to come in tiny to small sizes that make them mostly useless for an actual bonsai larger than mame...

 

[Pyewacket]

What was their reasoning? There are lots of porcelain pots made for bonsai, porcelain as a material is stronger than typical stonewares. There is a reason why it is used to make kitchen sinks, toilets, and industrial use parts. And as you mentioned, lower absorption rate. <snippage>

I believe it had to do with longevity in freezing weather (or presumed lack thereof). But if the absorption rate is low and the wall thickness is appropriate to the size, I don't get why that would actually be an issue. And I totally forgot about porcelain fixtures LOL!

I can get several types of cone 10 stoneware "locally" (for a pretty generous definition of "local") that have 1 +/- 1% absorption rates, but some of them are also quite coarse. There are several varieties of cone 10 porcelain that are 0.5%, including a couple of cone 6 varieties ( 0.5% Hagi Porcelain, 1% Frost Porcelain which is a different clay than the cone 10 Frost, all from Laguna).

The only cone 6 stoneware I know of with a low enough absorption rate is Laguna #80 which has no west coast distributor (ships from OH or FL). Pretty sure the shipping on that would be killer.

Also - gotta wonder what "plus or minus 1%" means when the absorption rate is listed as 0.5%. If you're lucky you don't have to water your bonsai so much because an absorption rate of -0.5% is giving water OFF? LOL!

 

[Sansokuu]

I know we all talked about hating fb, but if these don’t sell I’ll have them on the website. They are at Bonsai Auctions, look for #sometsuke.

 

[Pelicano919]

Incredible artistry,imaginative and whimsical at times. Particularly impressed with technique and continuation of subject around edges e.g. trout. Will continue to monitor for availability.